


What Happens After Greece

by I_was_BOTWP



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Greece, Prompt Fic, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2019-02-09 00:37:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12876441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_was_BOTWP/pseuds/I_was_BOTWP
Summary: George is sure he is better than Hermione at keeping a secret.  That doesn't mean he wants to anymore.  They plan a week away together in Greece before they go public with their relationship, just in time for Christmas.





	What Happens After Greece

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the Facebook group Hermione’s Haven  
> I chose a pairing, but then was given a place and a thing to fulfill.  
> Pairing: Hermione/George  
> Place: Greece  
> Thing: Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
> 
> Also, ElleMartin is a rockstar, just in case y’all were wondering.

“I just don’t think this is going to work.  I mean, won’t people realize we’re both gone at the same time?  Our excuses are piss poor, after all,” Hermione stated bluntly.

“Of course they’ll realize we’re gone at the same time.  Our friends and family aren’t idiots,” George told her with a smirk, before tacking on, “Well, at least most of them aren’t.”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “I just don’t think any one of them are going to believe you want to go to New York City by yourself the week before the holidays to do reconnaissance on a spot for a store in The States.”

“I have been talking up the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree for weeks now!  Weeks, Hermione, in order to lay the groundwork for this ruse!” he told her indignantly.  “If this plan falls through, it’s going to be due to your poor acting skills, not mine.”

“I have been telling everyone my cover story of needing time away to research and write.  Why wouldn’t they believe I have a cabin in the Cotswalds rented for the week before Christmas?” she huffed.

“Maybe because you look like a toddler caught by mum while holding the cookies their accidental magic summoned? Honestly woman, Teddy’s hair turning orange when he feels guilty is less of a tell then your face when you lie.”

She couldn’t help the snort from escaping, “I am not _that_ bad of a liar, you git!”

“Fine, you lie better than a five-year-old,” George told her, crossing his arms on his chest. “Happy now?”

“No! Because this is a horrible idea and I don’t care how excellent of a plan you think it is.  When people realize we are both gone at the same time, because we both agree that they will, then they are going to put two and two together.”

George’s face lost its jovial, slightly teasing air, as he rubbed his open hands down it, and let out a sigh.  He moved his hands to his pockets and rocked his weight on the balls of his feet.

“Maybe it’s just time for us to tell everyone-” George started to voice.

“After the holidays,” she assured him.

“Are you sure it isn’t because of Ron?” George asked, not for the first time.

“Merlin, no!  How many more times are you going to ask me that?  He is so wrapped up in Pansy, I don’t think he even notices anything besides the clock letting him know it’s time to eat.  He’ll probably not even hear what we say and then two weeks later splutter in complete shock when he finds us snogging.” Hermione giggled, enjoying the mental image of Ron getting worked up long after everyone else had forgotten their news.

“I think you underestimate my brother’s ability to multi-task, if one of his activities allows for righteous anger, stomping about, and raising his voice,” George deadpanned. “Bonus points if he can flail his arms.”

Hermione laughed harder.

“Also, have you failed to mention some voyeuristic tendencies, since you're already plotting my brother walking in on us shagging?” George raised an eyebrow at her.

“ _Snogging_ , George, I said snogging.  Not shagging,” was her stern reply.

“Hmph,” George shrugged. “Sounds like a bit of boring staging for your little fantasy.”

“George Weasley,” Hermione chastised him, with a swat to his arm. “I am not into people watching me either snog or shag.”

“Pity.”

She stared at him long and hard.  He just shrugged.

“Sooo… Greece,” Hermione reminded him. “A week in the warm sun.  Us out in public together, holding hands, exploring ancient ruins, fancy dinners.  What isn’t to like about that?”

“I want to be out in public _here_ ,” George grumbled. “You aren’t my dirty little secret.”

“Nor are you mine,” Hermione was quick to say.

Now George was the one to give her the long hard stare.

“I just-” Hermione started before pausing to gather her thoughts. “I hate the media attention anything I do seems to stir up. I hate it for myself and I hate what I know it is going to do to you.”

“That’s it? That’s what’s been holding you back these past few months?” George looked at her with disbelief. “I thought-”

“What? What did you think? Ron?” she demanded when he didn’t continue.

“No! Not really,” he pshawed, waving his hand dismissively.

George’s eyes shifted away and he blushed, just ever so slightly.  Hermione contemplated him, her head cocked to the side.

“You know the media doesn’t bother me.  Or, at least you should know that,” he told her, while staring out his shop window.  His eyes shifted again, still not back to her, but rather cataloguing the shelves of his store, currently only half-full.  He’d closed for the night, and the place was a bit of a disaster from the massive Saturday crowds who’d made their way through. “If you haven’t noticed, I am a bit of a showman,” he smirked.

Hermione shook her head.

He finally looked back to her.  “Really? You hadn’t noticed my _penchant_ for showing off?” His smirk changed into a full-on grin.

“You’re avoiding answering my question,” she pointed out.

George deflated - dissembling hadn’t worked.

“I didn’t know what to think,” he began.  “We started out on the same page that first month.  It was just a fun couple of shags, yeah?  Two single adult friends getting a leg over.  Until you made sure to ask me if we could be discreet.  Like you didn’t trust me to be discreet.  Or maybe-”

Hermione stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, nuzzling into his chest when he seemed at a loss.

He dropped his face into her curls and inhaled deeply, seeming to ground himself.

“I thought maybe you were embarrassed by me,” he whispered his confession.

Hermione let out a stuttering sigh as tears threatened at the corners of her eyes.

“I haven’t been exactly… holey… these past few years.” George’s self-deprecating humor fell flat. “Angelina, and Katie, and, well, you know.  You saw most of the parade.  And the alcohol.  And the potions-” George took another deep breath. “And my missing ear turns some people off,” he finished quietly.

Hermione squeezed him tighter before squirming a bit to loosen his hold on her enough to tilt her head up and look him in the face.  She lifted one hand, slowly tracing her fingers along the hole he kept hidden by shaggy hair.

“You know this doesn’t bother me,” she reminded him.

“Just because it doesn’t bother you doesn’t mean other people won’t voice their thoughts to you about it.” His face held an interesting mixture of fierceness and vulnerability.

“Oh George,” Hermione whispered. “I promise I am not embarrassed by you.  I know that this is going to sound illogical, but I just wish people wouldn’t talk about us at all.  I want to avoid the embarrassment of the gossip.  You know people will speculate on any number of things.  And the inevitable hate mail.  I thought I could protect us from that.”

A ghost of a smile passed over George’s face.

“So, you aren’t embarrassed, but are trying to avoid possible embarrassment over things people may think or do?  Am I getting this right?” He asked.

Hermione huffed.  “When you put it that way, it sounds fairly stupid, doesn’t it?”

The mirth in the quirk of George’s lips was her only answer.

“Sooo… Greece.” George said this time. “Us out in public, holding hands, snogging, shag-”

“George!”

“What?  If we’re going to end up in the papers anyway, we might as well start out with a bang!”


End file.
